VIEW FROM THE CLIFFS Fall 2012 KIMO M. KEAWE

VIEW FROM THE CLIFFS
Fall 2012
June Sundberg reports that the front desk and reservations have
been busy handling calls from potential exchangers and rental guests. The
positive comments on Trip Advisor as well as high ratings from RCI and II
are driving people to experience the Cliffs.
Our efforts to generate rental income continue to grow and expand.
Utilizing several partners including Interval International we have far exceeded our original budget for the year. We thank Rosarie Kelekoma, Owner
Services Manager, for her efforts as she continues to find new and innovative ways to generate rental income.
KIMO M. KEAWE
General Manager
We are all excited to welcome John Young to our Cliffs Ohana. John
assumes a new position as Assistant General Manager. He comes to us
with years of experience including 14 years here in Hawaii managing several
different properties. He also spent time with the Hawaii Visitors Bureau focusing on Sales and Marketing and those skills will definitely be utilized as
we look to expand our reach globally. He has been immersed in operations
since he arrived and has brought a new sense of energy and excitement
working with all of our existing managers and staff. All of us are eager to
support him in his new position and know, with that support, he will do well.
Now that we have scheduled the remaining capital projects for this
year and with the addition of John, we can focus on continuing to
improve our on-site operations and efficiencies.
After several heavy rainstorms over the past 18 months which resulted in more roof leaks, we decided it was best to begin the reroofing project
right away. The first phase is underway and includes installing new roofs on
buildings 1, 5, 8, 9, and a section of Building 2 and is scheduled to be completed by the first week of December. We concentrated on those buildings
that needed immediate attention in this first phase. Phase two, which will
encompass the balance of the buildings, will begin in May of 2013 and
should be completed by the beginning of July of that year.
Since we are changing all of the roofs, it was also decided to replace
the existing exhaust fans on each building with upgraded units that are quieter and energy efficient. You may remember that they were initially installed
after Hurricane Iniki to remove damp air from each bathroom to retard the
growth of mold. The old fans used a pulley system that utilized fan belts
similar to what you have in your car. These belts would stretch and break
and become very noisy over time and were the cause of many noise complaints from guests and owners alike. The new fans have no belts and also
incorporate a sensing system to run at different speeds during the day and at
night further reducing energy costs.
The fence which was installed to restrict the number of outsiders who
access our property through the cul-de-sac at the end of Edward Road has
been completed. The fence begins at the coconut trees fronting Building 4
and extends all the way along Edward Road, following the existing hedge
line to the property boundary cliff side. It is anticipated that as the hedges
continue to grow they will completely hide the fence, a condition of the
Princeville Community Association’s approval.
The summer of 2012 will be remembered by one word, “busy”! Occupancies were pushing 90% and September, a traditionally slow month,
finished at 88%. This trend continued through October as well. Suffice to
say the Hawaii vacation market is back and raising the bar to new levels.
The Cliffs Exchange Club is now a legal registered entity with the
State of Hawaii and we have begun to accept bankings for 2013. We encourage all owners to visit Rosarie while on property and find out more about this
new service that was developed exclusively for you.
The big project this past quarter was the commitment to further training and utilization of the Asgard property maintenance system. Since the
last Board meeting in July, we have had a standing weekly web conference
with our project manager from Asgard’s corporate office along with her associates. We have revamped the system to be more user friendly and have cut
the input time from several minutes to a few seconds. We have gained more
efficiency to process and close work orders in a timely fashion. Where we
once had hundreds of open work orders we now have a just a handful. We
look forward to fully utilizing all of the features of this program that will allow
us to track and measure everything from fixed assets and normal work orders to short and long term capital projects. We have all been extremely
impressed with the team from Asgard and will continue to work closely with
them to customize the system to suit our needs.
Readyman Services recently completed the replumbing of the Building 5 experimental solar hot water system. Our crew was responsible for
rewiring the electrical circuits and new service connections to the central
heaters on the third floor closets. We will continue to monitor the data on
energy use in the months to come. We are hopeful that this system will reduce our energy needs and be a long term property wide solution.
Our crew, in conjunction with Princeville Golf Course, completed the
renovation of our putting green. This was a great learning opportunity for our
crew as they participated in turning our green into a Princeville quality product. We were also fortunate to obtain a special reel mower that will allow us
to cut the green properly with the frequency needed to maintain it in its current condition.
We continue to work on the CRVOA units and have recently installed
new sofa sectionals in a few units. In addition, replacement countertops for
several units have been ordered for installation in January of 2013. These
are scope of work items that were included in the renovation program but,
could not be completed because of high occupancy.
We have been conducting speed and signal strength tests on our
wireless network and are working on solutions to solve these concerns.. It
has become apparent that we will need to upgrade our system as technology
changes and due to the number of devices each guest may be utilizing at
one time, i.e, smartphone, tablet and laptop computer. These all have an
effect on our system overall.
We all have much to be thankful for and during this holiday season
may we express that gratitude to friends and family. Here’s wishing you a
happy Holiday Season!
Kimo
cious, I can testify to the greatly improved condition of
the green and bunker.
AOAO PRESIDENTS REPORT
Jim Ricker
Additionally, Kimo and staff are selectively pruning
trees behind buildings 1 and 2 resulting in greatly improved views, more daylight, and better air circulation. This work will also allow the fruit trees to flourish, and we expect that guests in those buildings will
quickly discover the fresh fruit.
Other amenities look great. The refurbished Rec
Center, fitness center, pools, courts, and playground
are being utilized by a growing number of guests –
either individually or as part of planned activities, such
as Yoga classes.
AOAO President’s Letter
Dear Friends:
I’ve recently returned to the cold Northeast after
spending three weeks on site – for the final Board
meetings of the year and for enjoying our home at The
Cliffs. We were blessed with great weather with lots of
sun, very little rain, and occasional VOG drifting in from
the Big Island. The VOG was a very minor nuisance
compared to what folks in NY and NJ experienced from
Sandy. We are incredibly fortunate to be able to experience the beauty of Kauai.
The meetings were very productive. As you probably
know, we spend the first few days of the week in committee meetings – with all board members serving on
multiple committees. In addition, we try to have each
board member chair at least one committee. These
meetings provide a framework for detailed reviews of
past results, new proposals, and general discussion
about those areas upon which a committee focusses.
With this format, the overall board meetings have become very productive with the committee chairs making their reports and proposing initiatives that require
board approval.
Mahalo to Kimo and his staff for keeping the property
looking great and making some much needed improvements. The putting green and bunker adjacent to buildings 1,2, and 3 have been rebuilt with the assistance of
the greens keepers from the Prince Course. And since
the Prince Course was also buying new mowers, we
were able to purchase one of their used specialized
mowers for greens. I had a chance to use the green
earlier this month. Although my putting was still atro-
And, while not very glamorous, we are continuing to
replace roofs. You may recall that last year’s rains
caused roof leaks in all but the three buildings that
were recently reroofed; the Administration building,
the Recreation Center, and building 7. This year
buildings 8, 9, and 1 and portions of building 2 have
been reroofed. The remaining buildings will be completed next year which should keep us dry for many
years.
The roof work also includes replacing the metal flashing and the rooftop fans that ventilate the bathrooms
and dryers. The old fans had reached their useful lives
and were costly to maintain and operate. The new
fans are more efficient and will help reduce our energy costs.
We hope you will be able to return soon and enjoy
the property as The Cliffs becomes one of the best
resorts on the island. With our dedicated staff, constantly upgraded facilities, and the culture and weather
of Kauai, we have become very popular with occupancy rates often exceeding 90%.
Best wishes for the holidays and hope to see you
soon.
Aloha,
Jim Ricker
Our interior unit renovations don’t begin again until
CCIOA
From the Presidents
Desk
2014, but we have formed a committee to begin looking
at what might be needed in this round of upgrades and
refurbishments. This will undoubtedly be a continuing
subject to discuss over the next year.
Occupancy hit 90+ percent this past summer so it’s
gratifying to see our members use their resort. We expect this trend to continue and are staffing accordingly.
We also are in the early testing of Hotel key cards for
Aloha from not so sunny Connecticut. For the first
time in over a decade, I was forced to miss our quarterly
meeting at the Cliffs due to the impact of Hurricane
Sandy. My thanks to Lou Genett for stepping in and running the meetings during my absence.
I will try to summarize what occurred at the meetings
this past November. First and foremost, we approved a
new budget for 2013 which once again was without a
dues increase for the second year in a row. Kimo and
the lighting systems in the room. Several units have been
installed as a test case and if we can see electricity savings,
we will evaluate the use throughout the property.
Overall your association remains in very strong condition. We thank each of you for your continued support of
the property and your board. I hope by the next meeting
the weather settles so I can get back to serving all of you
as I truly enjoy.
Mahalo and Happy Holidays and a Healthy and Prosperous New Year.
Mark Barra
CCIOA President
staff have worked very hard keeping our costs in check
and finding ways to increase “other” revenues to offset
our normal increase in costs. The largest plus to our new
income is additional revenue earned from rental income
Rosarie, Kimo and our new Assistant General Manager
John Young have been working very hard in improving
our rental program and it shows. Several hundred thousand dollars is being earned now annually from rental income, all of which goes to keeping your dues down. We
have several new exciting programs being put in place to
further increase this revenue stream so let’s hope for
continued improvement in this area.
In keeping with our new practice, the CRVOA meeting is
the last meeting that takes place during that week. Between
Monday and Wednesday, the other on-site organizations hold
their meetings. CRVOA Board members participate in joint committee meetings during that period as well. The entire CRVOA
Board will also participate in a joint meeting of all Boards, scheduled to occur on Wednesday, January 23.
Both of the above meetings will occur in the Hale Ho’onanea recreation room. If you happen to be visiting The Cliffs during this week, be sure to come over and say Aloha. I’d love to
meet you.
CRVOA
TIMESHARE UNITS FOR SALE
From the Presidents Desk
Christopher Stawski
BUDGET APPROVED
The Board of Directors for the CRVOA met by telephone
on November 12, 2012. The most important agenda item at that
meeting related to our 2013 agenda. I am pleased to report that
the proposed budget was approved as submitted. The agenda
takes into consideration all of the matters that we expect to accomplish in 2013 and beyond. Most importantly, the budget that
was approved does not contain any dues increase. Yes, you
read that right.
Many thanks to our controller, Bill Malish, and to our treasurer, Mark Barra, for putting the budget together. Their countless
hours of work were instrumental in making this budget a reality.
If you would like to obtain a copy of the CRVOA’s 2013 budget, you may do so by e-mailing Kimberlee Kain at [email protected]. She will be more than happy to forward you a copy of the budget by e-mail so that you can see
exactly where your dues are being spent.
MEET YOUR BOARD IN JANUARY
Our winter meeting will take place on property in January. Although the schedule of meetings is subject to change, the CRVOA
Board is currently scheduled to meet on Thursday, January 24, 2013.
The meeting will begin at 9:00 a.m. and is scheduled to last until noon;
however, those of you that have attended CRVOA meetings know that
they normally do not last the allotted three hours. My expectation is
that the meeting will be over by approximately 10:30 so as to allow
you plenty of time to explore the island after our meeting has concluded.
I know that I’ve been singing this same song for many
years now but I’m going to sing it again. The CRVOA has quite a
few timeshare units for sale. Most of the units are one bedroom
units. You can buy an every year, an odd year or an even year
unit. The price to acquire a unit is much more reasonable than
you might expect.
If you are interested in purchasing a time share from the
CRVOA, please e-mail Rosarie Kelekoma at [email protected] and she can provide you with all of
the details. There’s no better time than the present to pick up a
CRVOA unit or two for yourself or as a holiday gift for friends or
family.
CRVOA RETAINS HIGH RATING
As previously reported, the CRVOA has achieved the
highest resort ratings from both RCI and II. The comment cards
that we receive from these organizations every month confirm
that our resort continues to be maintained at the highest level.
Thanks to all of our wonderful Cliffs staff for helping us achieve
this prestigious status. If you have not visited The Cliffs for
awhile, you will be duly impressed by all of the changes that
have taken place. In particular, our newly remodeled units are
exceptional!! Make a reservation today and come see us soon.
Best wishes for a great holiday season,
Christopher Stawski
Meet our New Assistant General
Manager, John Young
Aloha from your new Assistant
General Manager. It has been one full
month now as I type this update. One
of my favorite quotes; “Life is a journey,
enjoy the ride” has certainly been appropriate for my family these past couple of months!
Packing up our home in North
Carolina
Shipping our belongings and 2
cars
Travelling across country to see
the grandparents with 2 little ones in
tow
Travelling across the pond with 2
little ones
Getting the family used to our
new surroundings
Prepping for and attending October board meetings
And most importantly completing
my property assimilation plan
I have now spent time with each
department. I have cleaned rooms, inspected rooms with your Housekeeping Supervisors, reviewed unit work order repairs, discussed exterior building
needs with QCl, began work on our
first social media campaign with
www.livingsocial.com and walked the
property during the recent Tsunami
warning. Many other items too long to
list here have brought me to this point.
The next step is to review my action
plan for the balance of 2012 and 2013
with Kimo for implementation. I can’t
wait to get started
It is an exciting time and I’m looking forward to helping bring The Cliffs
to the next level.
FYI-Living Social promo is scheduled to release Dec 3 or 10, so sign up
and keep an eye open!
Aloha & a Hui Hou ,
John Young
2013 Maintenance Fees due January 1st
Pay your fees online at www.cliffsatprinceville.com.
Invoices have been sent. For those who’ve “opted-in” you were sent
an email notification stating your bill is ready to view, log onto our
website. Be sure to check your junk/spam mail.
*Don’t forget to notify us of changes in your address, telephone, or
email*
“LAST CONTEST IN 2012”
Like us on Facebook!
457 Likes AND GROWING (:
By popular demand, see our new contest below
ALL NEW ’LIKES” will be entered
into the contest.
Contest ends
December 31st! - so hurry -tell
your friends!
READ what OUR
OWNERS AND GUESTS
are
SAYING about their
recent stay
The improvements you made in the last few years
are wonderful. Our friends liked it so much, they
bought a unit
I didn’t get Eric’s last name. He was so kind to us.
He came to our room at 3 a.m. to direct us to the ER
Room at Kapaa. He called hospital to make arrangements for us to receive treatment to relieve the pain
and infection I was experiencing.
H. Kuhn
Owner
N. Tendrils
Owner
We are very impressed with the
continued improvements. Staff
are wonderful, even yard workers are helpful and havea
smile on their faces. Exceptional value for our continued
timeshare investment. One of
the top resorts on island
It has been five years since our last visit, and we are most
pleased with the resort upgrades, i.e., pool, reception, fitness,
recreation room. The grounds are well maintained and attractive. We would like to commend the staff for making this an
enjoyable vacation. Also, our thanks to the Board for excellent
planning and allocation of limited funds. As owners since 1996,
we have seen the ups and downs but this Board and staff have
our support for a job well done.
D. March
Owner
G. Miller
Owner
Very Impressed with the Cliffs.
Will likely return. Thank you to all!
P. Fannon
Exchange Guest
We have stayed at the Cliffs several times
before—this was the best experience by
far! The remodel is superb!!
J. Hannon
Cliffs Club Owner
Best Ever Since we
Bought in 1983—
somebody is doing a great
job!
R. Knapp
Cliffs Club Owner
CLIFFS MANAGEMENT GROUP
CALL FOR CANDIDATES
The Board of Directors has openings for two Board members and two advisors at the election
which will be conducted at the annual shareholders meeting to be held during the week of April 1519 , 2013. In order to be eligible, candidates must be shareholders of CMG. That is all those
CCIOA members who have paid for their land, but hold the title to the land through CMG, rather
than in their own names, are CMG shareholders and therefore qualified to run for office. CCIOA
members who are unsure whether they qualify as CMG shareholders should contact Karen Angona
at [email protected] or call 909-920-4625. All CCIOA owners who have not received CMG
proxies in the past, and have not paid to convert their share to a deed should qualify.
Directors and Advisors attend one to four meetings per year, depending on the needs of the
board. Some of their meeting are held in Hawaii, while others may be held at a more convenient or central location for Board members. Necessary expenses for attending the meetings
(for travel, car rental, meals, lodging, etc) are reimbursed in accordance with a policy similar to
other Cliff’s boards.
Interested shareholders should send in a brief (200-250 word) description of their backgrounds in narrative form, stating their intention to run for the CMG board to Karen Angona
via email at [email protected] or to Karen Angona P.O. Box 1094, Upland, CA. 91785 or via
fax 909-985-9701. Submissions should state in the subject line “Notice of Interest to Run for
CMG Board”. All submissions must be received not later than February 25, 2013 in order for
candidate names to appear on the ballot.
CMG Board Officers
CMG
Officers
Debra Board
Wood President
Debra
Wood
President
Karen
Angona
Vice
President
Karen
Angona
Vice
President
Tom Selders Treasurer
Tom Selders
Treasurer
Deborah
Nicosia
Secretary
Deborah Nicosia Secretary
Cmg-hawaii.com
Cmg-hawaii.com
It’s All About Hawaii
KIMBERLEE’S PICK
Filmed in Kauai, Hawaii & featuring actress Stephanie Perius, 'Have You Ever Been' features the
incredible beauty of this westward Hawaiian Island. “HaveYou Ever Been'“is from Pennan Brae's
debut release,
'Shaded Joy'.
These images will make you want to come back
real soon!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MM2t4r65wVs
Meet Our New Little Sweetheart
Ms. Alana Yoder.
With the Holidays Just Around the Corner—Here’s a
great gift about Kauai
The joys of living in Hawai‘i, specifically on the Garden Island, are
brought to life in a new book entitled “Kaua‘i Stories: Life on the Garden Island told by Kaua‘i’s People.”
The collection of more than 50 touching, humorous and inspiring stories is edited and published by Pamela Varma Brown — a freelance
writer, the former editor of Kaua‘i People and a 24-year resident of
Kaua‘i — and includes everything from island music and surfing to the
lively and abundant rooster and hen population.
“All of the stories are first-person and they’re all wonderful representations of life on our lovely island,” Brown said. “They’re all positive and
upbeat. Some are even inspiring.” Approximately half of the stories
are written from personal interviews by Brown, while the other half
are written by local residents.
Discover the joy and aloha spirit of Kaua‘i’s people through their stories of keeping the ancient dance of hula alive, growing up island-style,
living in multi-cultural sugar plantation “camps,” and their mischievous
childhood high jinks, writes Brown on her book’s website. Follow the
lives of patriotic Japanese American soldiers born in Hawai‘i as they
fight for the United States in World War II against the country of their
parents’ birth. Journey with Kaua‘i people who have sailed thousands
of miles to foreign lands in a canoe built like those of Polynesians who
discovered Hawai‘i centuries ago, navigating only by the stars.
“There is humor in almost every story,” Brown said. “It’s not a dry historical document by any means.”
One particularly funny story, according to Brown, is that of a man recalling his innocent childhood on Kaua‘i, making toys of whatever was
available, including flying discs made from car-flattened, sun-dried
toads. “They made do with whatever they had,” Brown said.
Mayor Carvalho writes that Brown’s book is a “must-read for anyone
that knows and loves Kaua‘i, as it captures the true essence of the Garden Island through the stories of its people.”
New Mommy, Presilla, our AP Accountant,
is doing fine and
enjoying her new role as mommy!
“To tell a visitor what our island is like with real authentic flavor,” she
said. “Kaua‘i is known for the beautiful scenery, but it’s really the
warmth of Kaua‘i’s people that makes Kaua‘i the special place it is.”
BOARD OFFICERS & COMMITTEES
2012/2013
AOAO Board of Directors
CCIOA Board of Directors
BOARD OFFICERS
President James Ricker
Vice President Lou Genett
Secretary George Bruns
Treasurer Mark Barra
BOARD OFFICERS
President Mark Barra
Vice President Lou Genett
Secretary Alice Berntson
Treasurer Tom Selders
CCIOA COMMITTEES
AOAO COMMITTEES
2012/2013 Board Meetings at the Cliffs
COMMUNICATIONS
Lou Genett, Chair, Gus Daal, Mike Cook
CONSTRUCTION/CAPITAL PROJECTS
Gus Daal , Chair, Don Jacobs, Jim Ricker
ENERGY, RESOURCE & CONSERVATION
Gus Daal, Chair, Lou Genett, Tom Selders, Mike Cook
FINANCE
Tom Selders, Chair
Jerry Hempenius, Lou Genett, Jim Ricker,
Mike Cook, Don Jacobs
LEGAL & BYLAWS
Don Jacobs, Chair
Jerry Hempenius, Alice Berntson, Jim Ricker
LONG RANGE PLANNING
Gus Daal, Chair
Jerry Hempenius, Jim Ricker, ,Alice Berntson, Mike Cook
NOMINATING
Lou Genett Chair, Jerry Hempenius
PERSONNEL
Jerry Hempenius, Chair
Don Jacobs, Alice Berntson, Gus Daal, Tom Selders, Mike Cook
QUALITY CONTROL/MAINTENANCE
Gus Daal, Chair
Tom Selders, Don Jacobs,
TECHNOLOGY
Jerry Hempenius, Chair
Gus Daal, Don Jacobs, Tom Selders, Alice Berntson
CANDIDATE REVIEW
JANUARY, 2013
Gus Daal, Chair, George Bruns, Barry Kinman
Week of January 21-25, 2013
COMMUNICATIONS
APRIL, 2013
Barry Kinman
Week of April 15-19, 2013
CONSTRUCTION/ CAPITAL PROJECTS
JULY, 2013
Don Jacobs, Chair
Week of July 22-26, 2013
Gus Daal, George Bruns
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2013
ENERGY, RESOURCE & CONSERVATION
Week of October 28 thru November 1, 2013
George Bruns, Chair, Barry Kinman, Norman Litell
FINANCE
Mark Barra, Chair; George Bruns,
Don Jacobs, Barry Kinman, Norman Litell
LEGAL & BYLAWS
Rolf Ramelmeier, Chair
Don Jacobs, Norman Litell
LONG RANGE PLANNING
Lou Genett, Chair
George Bruns, Rolf Ramelmeier
QUALITY CONTROL/EXTERIOR MAINTENANCE
Gus Daal, Chair
George Bruns, Lou Genett, Barry Kinman
CRVOA Board of Directors
BOARD OFFICERS
President Chris Stawski
Vice President Paul Cannings
Secretary James Moyes
Treasurer Mark Barra
CRVOA COMMITTEES
LONG RANGE PLANNING
Chris Stawski
NOMINATING
Mark Barra, James Quisenberry
COMMUNICATIONS
James Moyes, , Chair
James Quisenberry
QUALITY CONTROL
Paul Cannings
CMG Board Officers
Debra Wood President
Karen Angona Vice President
Tom Selders Treasurer
Deborah Nicosia Secretary
Cmg-hawaii.com
Aloha, you’re invited to come and meet our managers at our Cliff’s Welcome Reception
every Monday at our newly renovated Hale Ho’Onanea Rec. Room at 5 p.m.
Come and enjoy our delicious pupus, door prizes and meet fellow owners and guests .
THE CLIFFS
3811 Edward Road
Princeville, Kauai, HI 96722
www.cliffsatprinceville.com
Check us out on Facebook “The Cliffs at Princeville”
Editor
Kimberlee Kain